About a month ago, the drink of the moment, kombucha, vanished (poof!) from Whole Foods and other major groceries. Why? Concerns that the alcohol level might be a tad too high.
Did this freak you out? How have you been getting your kombucha fix since then? And what's the report in your area? Are there bottles of that addictively fizzy, sour tea back on your grocery shelves yet?
The facts: In late June, the Treasury Department issued a warning about kombucha, saying that it was investigating some kombucha manufacturers (read the document here). They were concerned that some kombucha had alcohol levels over the allowed 0.5%. The problem, you see, is that raw kombucha sits in the bottle and continues to ferment, potentially, with all that extra yeast and sugar, and it could reach as much as 3% alcohol content. This would require new labeling and warnings.
Right around this time, Whole Foods (prompted, perhaps, by the impending Treasury warning) pulled most major brands of kombucha. Said brands raced back to their production facilities to retool their processes and make sure that their product met alcohol content standards. (See more about that here at BevNet.)
I confess I've drunk my share of this sour, fermented tea, and when I visited my co-op a few weeks ago and found the drink shelves bare, I was a bit put out. But it's also an opportunity for local brewers; the local kombucha guy has had the shelves all to himself. His bottles fly out the door, though; I've only nabbed one since the Great Kombucha Freakout of 2010.
Fortunately for all of you who need a kombucha fix, the bottles are returning to stores. The photo above is a recent shot from the Berkeley Bowl grocery store. (See story here.)
If you don't want to wait, get your own batch going. Here are some instructions:
• How To Make Your Own Kombucha
What's your opinion of all this? Silly? Do you even like kombucha?
Related: Have You Ever Brewed Kombucha Tea?
(Image: SF Weekly/Jonathan Kauffman)
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i am so so sad. how do i live in a country where cigarettes are legal and kombucha isn't? i'm on my second attempt at making my own...it''s a lot harder than it seems. i am really hoping it works out!!
I was just really getting into Kombucha when the freakout happened. In fact, we had just sampled some from a new brewer--he had the most amazing flavors! I'm going to go have a look later today and see if it's filtering back in yet. Love the stuff!
I've been making my own. Two great advantages to this: 1. Cost savings. Cost of 6 teabags and 1 cup of sugar to make 3 qts. 2. Each batch produces a new kombucha culture which can be grown and used for a new batch.
It was so bizzarre when they pulled it out of stores! It wasn't until the President of the Kombucha company in question came out to say that the pull had "nothing to do with Lindsay Lohan", that I found out a reason.
I've been drinking 'Kombucha Wonder Drink' the Asian Pear & Ginger tea since then. I know you can get them all over CA, but I do miss having a variety of flavors to choose from!
GT & Synergy (especially the former) differ from the now substituted kombucha drinks by its very low amount of sugars -- that, along w/it's slightly higher fizz, and more intense taste-- are why I bought it. The alcohol content never provided a buzz that I could perceive -- and I generally stay away from alcohol because I'm allergic to wine and grape products.
@Art do you mind sharing your recipie. i am thinking of fermenting my own!
Has anyone else experienced headaches from drinking kombucha? I was brewing my own, but even small amounts gave me the kind of headache I associate with cheap wine. I don't think it was alcohol-- I drink alcohol in moderation and don't experience this. Any ideas?
I've never heard of kombucha. Maybe we don't have it in Canada, or have I been living in a cave?
@ames29, it's kind of a new faddish thing. A "health food," or so I've always seen it advertized. I'm in the Bay Area and it only hit my radar two years ago when a health-fad-obsessed friend brought it into the house. I wouldn't have noticed it otherwise, ever.
Ahhhh this ticks me off! There has been such a void in the refrigerated section! This stuff is sooo healing and sometimes it's the only thing that takes cramps away!
Faith, who's your kombucha guy?
The Whole Foods in Oakland, CA has kombucha as of last week. Both bottled and on tap.
Erewhon Market in Hollywood/Mid-City West/Fairfax Village has tons of them (the one right by the Grove)
@TheWholesomeHome, the Kombucha Kvass guy - he delivers there. Also available at the farmers market. I actually like his much better than any of the other brands!
Wow, that explains why people liked Kombucha!
@bikepenguin, the recipe is super easy. brew 6 bags of tea in about 3 quarts of water. Stir in about a cup of sugar. Let it cool to room temperature, pour into a sterilized glass olive jar, put in the kombucha mushroom and a cup or so of tea from a previous batch. Cover the jar with a towel and let it sit at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 10 days to two weeks. I was lucky enough to have gotten a "mushroom" from a friend that was built up over a long period of time. You can purchase the mushrooms online through various sources.
My husband fell in love with Kombucha (yay! something other than soda!) and then ....it was gone. Confounded! BUT recently we have only gotten 2 brands back in our local Sprouts. And only 3 flavors :( Blood Orange, Ginger and Aloe. The Ginger burned his eyes and throat so bad he couldn't even smell it, he's afraid of the aloe (and I really can't blame him.) and the Blood Orange was anything but fizzy. Bust. Also I had heard that Lindsey Lohan started this bull crap. At least that's what they said at the Celestial Seasonings Factory...they didn't even get to release theirs.
We do have it in Canada. And it's tasty. But is this stuff actually good for us, or is it just fun to drink?
don't EVEN get me started. I blame Lindsey Lohan, even if it's not her fault. I want Kombucha back NOW.
I found it at a local small grocery store, who either didn't get the memo or didn't really care. But Whole Foods is still missing it. I'd really like this squared away, because I'm not interested in making my own. I looked into it and it seemed a little too hardcore, involved and potentially dangerous.
I. LOVE. KOMBUCHA. Ok. With that out of the way, I have been just sitting and waiting and hoping to see GT's back on the shelves. I found some contraband bottles in my fridge at home that my roommate managed to find and buy from some undisclosed place (ok, it's not THAT romantic. The undisclosed place is the small health food store where her boyfriend works...) I can't wait to see it again, but I've also heard rumor that it may not be sold in NJ ever again because it's not pasteurized. True? Does anyone know about this?
I brew my own, but I still love a lot of commercially available brands. I'm glad it's coming back!
Is there any reason that even if the alcohol content is too high they won't just come back out with it in the I.D. only section?
I've tried it, and it does taste good, but I can see where some of the issue comes up. I do think the alcohol content goes up a lot more than listed after it's been bottled for a while. The first time I tried it I was really uncomfortable with amount of "wine breath" it gave me as I was at work. I did expect a little more than the tiny writing on the back that said it contained some alcohol.
That being said, there is a big following, so why can't they put bigger lettering and just sell it like full blown booze so people can still buy it?